It's early morning in the retreat of theIntermarché in Liège. George Zimmerman He arrived the day before to give his contribution to the Doyenne.The telephone appointment has been scheduled for a long time, but you can hear from his voice that he is having trouble waking up., to get back on track and be ready for the reconnaissance. He was not used to these tasks, but the victory at Tour of Abruzzo He changed the perception of the German rider. Until then, he was destined to be just another of the many who roam the cycling world, those who work for the leaders, who perhaps show up occasionally in breakaways and who occasionally even manage to win. But when you triumph in a stage race, even if it's not a major one, something changes...
With so much attention, Zimmermann struggles to get used to it and there is always a bit of reluctance, as in the post-stage sessions in Abruzzo, when it was his turn to answer the journalists' notebooks (or rather, smartphones...). But then again, many predicted exactly this for the German when he turned professional, riding high on the heels of significant successes among the Under 23s.
What is your history as a cyclist, how did you start?
Quite late, at 13 or 14. I used to play soccer, but I wasn't very good. Then I started riding my bike and I saw that I was doing much better, that I was more inclinedSo I quit football and dedicated myself solely to cycling, thinking of making it my profession.
Many asked you right after the stage race: is the victory at the Giro d'Abruzzo the highlight of your career?
I don't consider it that way, I've found many achievements that I'm proud of, but it was really nice for me. I really enjoyed the welcome I received, the warmth of the people, and also the fact that it was a team victory., with the team working really well, especially on the last day, protecting me from the wind and helping me defend the jersey. It was a wonderful success, yes, one of the best.
You've always had a good feeling with Italy since you were under 23, with victories at the Giro del Friuli in 2018 and the Coppa della Pace and Trofeo Piva the following year. Why?
I have done many races in Italy in the past. I also ran for the Tyrol Cycling Team who was very active in Italy. Then you grow a lot in your area, in the team there are more Italian riders with whom I get along very well, I had in Valerio Piva An excellent sports director who taught me a lot. I always enjoy coming here; I've trained a lot on your roads and raced a lot there. So yes, it's good for me.
Do you think you have reached your highest point, your full maturity?
No, I don't think so. I think I could actually be better than this, in a moment of evolution. You see, Even in the most important competitions I have to raise my level, so if I really want to try to get a good overall ranking, I also have to train more and do more races.
They say cycling is now a sport for very young people. How important was it to be on a team that waited for you to mature?
The age factor is overrated in my opinion. There are still top-level riders who are over thirty years old, champions who have won even at 40.It doesn't matter how old you are, you just have to do it, work hard, and follow all the steps to grow. Be 100 percent focused on the sport, and then you can achieve great things even at 40.
Given the result in Abruzzo, do you think you've become a general classification man for short stage races?
Maybe so. I think it could be my perfect fit, that I could do really well in races like the one in Abruzzo, which are quite tough but not too long. I'm eagerly awaiting the next ones to see if I can repeat my performances.
The Tour de France is on your agenda. What role and goals will you have at the Grande Boucle?
More or less the role will be the same every year, so I will protect Biniam Girmay as much as possible for sprints and I will try to make a good stage to find the right escape, so I've decided to focus on two main goals. The Tour is the most difficult race of all, you have to approach it with clear ideas and precise targets. I believe we can carve out our space.
Now what do you expect from this season?
First of all, I want to finish the block of races we're facing. Trying to do my job really well. I'm in great shape. So I want to make a good impression on Thursday in Frankfurt, in my home race. Then I'll take some time to plan my summer well. and be ready for the Tour. Having the legs to get back to running at the front and make myself seen.
